Pocket dispenser



Feb. 16, 1954 E. c. SILVER 2,669,349

POCKET DISPENSER Filed March 3. 1952 20a 69 G2 G8 48 7 IN1/EN TOR.

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Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POCKET DISPENSER Edward C. Silver, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 3, 1952, Serial No. 274,605

7 Claims.

My invention relates generally to dispensing devices, and more particularly to a small pocket dispenser for containing and delivering pills or tablets.

Many persons are required to use daily some form of pill or tablet prescribed by their physicians for diet or health reasons. This necessitates carrying a small bottle or box which must be opened so that a pill may be taken out. Usually the container supplied is not a desirable pocket article, and in addition the pills tend to become damaged or spilled in the continual process of opening the container.

This invention provides a compact dispenser which will eject the pills one at a time Without the necessity of opening the case. A preferred embodiment is particularly advantageous for use with the iiat circular pill of conventional shape. One kind of tablet carried by a great number of people is the sacoharin tablet which is used for daily diet purposes in the place of sugar or other sweeteners. My invention is well adapted for carrying these tablets, but it can be understood that the invention may be used to accommodate other types and sizes of tablets or droplets, and that it is not restricted to a product of a particular nature,

With the foregoing in mind, it is a major object of my invention to provide a pocket dispenser adapted to store tablets or pills and deliver them one at a time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pocket dispenser of trouble-free design having ejection means to insure the proper and continual delivery of the tablets.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a pocket dispenser having cooperative hopper and agitating means preventing stoppage of material flow, and aligning the tablets for proper operation of the ejecting means.

A further object of my invention is to provide slide actuating means for simultaneously operating the agitating and ejection means together with a gate member which normally prevents the discharge of tablets from the dispenser.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a compact and durable dispenser utilizing the space therein in the most eiective manner and having structural elements adapted for mass production at a nominal cost.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred and modied forms thereof, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the complete dispenser;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the dispenser;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the operating structure;

Fig. 6 is a detail of a ing means; and

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the numeral I6 designates generally the housing of the dispenser. Housing Ill is of rectangular box shape having a vertical flat iront face or cover Il. Narrow end walls I2 and I3, together with top and bottom walls I4 and I5, respectively, define the edge periphery of the housing and are formed integrally with a flat rear face I6 which extends parallel to cover II. The rear wall and edge walls thus provide a shallow open box which is further divided by internal walls or baliles and is adapted to contain operating mechanism for controlling the delivery of pills or tablets from the dispenser. After the operating structure has been properly positioned within the housing, cover Il is then secured in place to complete the assembly. Preferably, the entire housing I 0 is formed of a suitable plastic material which is molded or extruded into the proper shape.

Within the upper portion of housing I6 is a hopper or container I 8 which is formed by the aforementioned exterior walls and a downwardly sloping baille or bottom wall I9 which extends from the upper corner of rear wall I6 toward front cover I I, as is best seen in Fig. 3. Hopper I8 is adapted to hold a suitable supply of pills or tablets 20 which are to be dispensed from the device. Tablets 20 are shown as flat circular discs for which the invention is especially advantageous. The invention is not, however, limited to a particular kind or shape of tablet, and I wish it to be understood that throughout the specification and claims the term tablet is used to include pills, capsules, or small oonfections which may equally well be dispensed from the device.

In order to re-load hopper I8 when the supply of tablets is exhausted, the upper end corner of housing .l0 may be typically provided with a modied form of agitathinged door 24 opening into the interior of the hopper. Door 24 is supported upon the left end Wall |2 by a suitable hinge 25, and normally lies ilush with the upper wall I4. A snap detent 25 projects from the inner end of door 24, and is adapted to engage in a cooperative groove pron vided in the abutting end of wall I4 for maintaining the door in a closed position. For visual observation of the supply of tablets within hopper I8, a transparent window 23 may be provided in front cover It may be desirable to expose the inner working structure of the device, and the entire cover I| may then be formed of suitable transparent plastic. As can be understood, the housing structure is subject to considerable modication, and is merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment.

Hopper bottom I9 terminates short of front wall and defines a tapered throat 33 which constitutes a discharge exit from hopper I3. Throat communicates into a vertical discharge chute 3| which lies between cover and a parallel interior wall 32 that connects wall I3 and the housing base I5. As is best seen in Fig. 2, chute 3| is substantially the full length of hopper |8 at its upper end and inclines downwardly toward .an exit opening 33 formed at the lower left end of the housing. One edge of chute 3| is formed by an inclined ramp 34 which extends laterally approximately half way across hopper I8, and the opposite edge is partially formed by a short downwardly convergent wall section 35. The space between the iront and back walls of chute 3| is made just slightly larger than the edge thickness of tabletsZ which are to be dispensed. Thus, as is seen in Fig. 2, the tablets 23 are stacked on edge in entering chute 3| and thence travel downwardly to be ultimately discharged through exit opening 33 one at a time.

In order to prevent jamming of the pills or tablets in throat 30 prior to entering chute 3|, I provide agitating means which shakes tablets 20 and aligns them in such a manner that they slide edgewise into the chute. i As can be understood, if tablets 2D are not so aligned they would arrive at throat 30 in irregular order and some would wedge crosswise, blocking the passage.

The preferred form of agitator means comprises a horizontally extending rod 35 which extends across throat 35 and moves reciprocably with a Vshucking motion. Rod 33 has an elongated sinusoidal shape of circular cross section providing alternately spaced humps and depressions 31 and 33, respectively. At one end of rod 36 is a reduced connecting stem 39 which extendsv L outwardly beyond the hopper I8 through an opening formed in the inner portion of wall I3. The opposite end of rod 33 is registered with a bore 4| cut into the housing wall I2. As rod 35 reciprocates, it slides axially within bore 4I Iand stem 35 slides freely through opening 40. Movement of humps and depressions 31 and 38 causes agitation or tumbling of tablets 2|) and dislodges those which tend to ride above the agitator rod. As is seen in Fig. 3, rod 36 is positioned within throat 30 in such a location as to provide a clearance with wall I9 substantially equal to the edge thickness of the tablets, permitting a single line or row of tablets to pass therebetween. Thus are sliding -edgewise may pass under the rod 36 and enter discharge chute 3|. The other tablets 2|! remain in the hopper I3 until they have been agitated into'an edgewise position, at which time they are, of course, free to fall into chute 3|.

only those tablets 26 which I For the purpose of actuating the agitator means and ejection means later to be described, I provide a manually operable slide piece 44 which extends along the top of the housing and carries a push button 45 which may be conveniently operated by the thumb when the dispenser is held in the hand. Slide 44 is preferably recessed into an elongated slot 46 formed in housing wall i4 so as to be free for limited sliding movement. Secured to slide 44 and extending downwardly therefrom is an actuating bar 41 which turns and continues laterally across the bottom of the housing to form an actuating arm 48. Wall I3 is of substantial thickness, and has an intermediate channel 49 in which bar 41 is mounted; The width of channel 49 is somewhat greater than the width of bar 41, and the latter may therefore move a substantial distance horizontally within the connes of the channel.

A bowed leaf spring 5I! is secured to the inner edge of bar 41, and normally urges the bar toward's'the right as viewed in Fig. 2, so that the bar bears against the corresponding edge of channel 49. Also secured to bar 41 is the end of agitator connecting stem 39 extending through wall opening 40. Spring 50 is secured only at one end to bar 41, and is adapted to flatten or compress upon movement of bar 41 inwardly when slide 44 is pushed manually by force of the thumb against button 45. As bar 41 is moved inwardly, the agitator rod 33 moves across hopper throat 35 and the previously described agitation and alignment of tablets 20 occurs. Likewise, as thumb pressure is released the bar 41 returns to its normal outward position under the urging of spring 50 .and further agitation and alignment of the tablets 20 takes place.

The inward stroke of actuator bar 41 and actuating arm 43 is used to simultaneously operate ejection means which control the discharge of tablets 20 from the dispenser. Actuating arm 48 is slidably mounted in a lower groove 55 extending along housing |0 above bottom wall I5. The inner end of arm 43 enters into discharge chute 3| and is formed with several projecting portions for operating the various components of the ejecting means.

As will be remembered, one edge of chute 3l is formed by a downwardly inclined ramp 34 which extends partially across hopper |8. Thus tablets 23 entering chute 3| from the right end of the hopper I8 slide or roll downwardly along ramp 34. Secured to the end of ramp 34 is a ilexible extension or plate 5B which inclines downwardly and across a substantial portion of chute 3|. A similar iiexible Yspring plate 51 is secured to the opposite chute edge 35 and hangs vertically downwardly in a position free for limited flexing motion. To provide clearance for plate 51, the lower edge oi chute 3| is undercut at 58 and eX- tends angularly outward towards exit opening 33. Plates 55 and 51 may be of any suitable material such as spring steel, and are typically anchored in position by an interlocking side hook 59 which is embedded in the material of the housing, as is indicated in Fig. 4.

Plate 56 extends toward plate 51 and has the tip thereof normally spaced from the latter a distance approximately equal to the diameter of a tablet 23, as is indicated in Fig. 2. As should also be noted therein, plate 5B is adapted to swing upwardly to the position shown in phantom outline, while plate 51 swings toward wall 53 and thereby opens the clearance between the plates. The purpose of upward movement of plate 53 is to prevent a stoppage of iiow through chute 3| by shifting the position of the tablets slightly and thereby breaking any jams which may tend to occur. To move plate 56 upwardly, I provide an upper cam lift 62 which is formed integrally with the end of actuating arm 48. The top portion of cam 62 is flat and the outer corner normally seats just under the edge of plate 55. However, when arm 43 moves inwardly the travel of cam 62 causes the free end of plate 56 to lift upwardly. Also formed on the end of actuating arm 48 is an ejection toe 6x4 which cooperates with plate 57| to control the ejection of tablets 2B one at a time. Toe 64 projects inwardly toward plate 5I and normally positioned with its endspaced from the tip of plate 5'! a distance just less than the diameter of the tablet 2&3. The end surface of toe G4 is substantially vertical, being undercut slightly, and a rectangular pocket is dened by the toe and a portion of bottom wall I5. This pocket contains a single tablet Elia which, because of the clearances described, bears against the tip end of plate 57. Above tablet Bild several tablets are stacked vertically as seen in Fig. 2, with the remainder extending across the top portion of chute 3| When the actuating arm 43 moves inwardly, toe 64 pushes tablet 25a against plate 51 and forces the latter to yield and swing toward wall 58. As this occurs, the tablet a moves into the final exit opening 33, and the following tablet passes between lplates 56 and 57 so that it is free to drop into the ejection pocket upon retraction of the actuating arm. At the same time, the

movement of plates and 51 acts to insure that there will be a continual iiow of tablets down the ejection chute 3|. The relationship between the tip of plate 51 and the tablet 20a is of importance and should be particularly noted. With plate 57 in its normal position, the tip thereof extends downwardly so as to bear against the edge of tablet 25a. However, when plate 51 is forced into the position shown in phantom outline, the tip is elevated suiiciently so that tablet 20d is freed to drop downwardly into the exit opening.

As a final block upon the discharge of the ejected tablet a slidable gate 61 extends across the bottom of exit opening 33. As is best seen in Fig. 5, gate 61 is secured to actuating arm 48 by a downwardly extending bracket 58 formed d integrally with the arm and mounted for sliding movement in a. slotted portion of the housing bottom. Gate 61 is provided with an exit aperture 69 of suilcient size to pass a tablet 2B, and is located so as to be normally disposed beneath the solid portion of the housing bottom. When gate E1 moves outwardly upon the actuating stroke of arm 4S, aperture 69 registers with exit opening 33 and permits the tablet to fall there through. At any other time, the tablet is confined within exit opening 33 and cannot be accidentally discharged.

Thus it can be seen that I have provided agitating and ejection means which are operated simultaneously by the manual movement of a single slide plate. It may also be understood that the operation thus described insures a continual flow of tablets and their delivery one at a time. In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustra-ted a modied form of agitating means which is generally similar to the preferred form but has a somewhat different mode of operation. The modified form of agitator means comprises a helical or sinusoidal rod or wire I6 of reduced diameter which is rotatably mounted in the hopper discharge throat 35. Rod

16 has one end journaled in the end wall 2 and the opposite end journaled in the outer portion of wall 3 so that it is held against axial movement.

In order to rotate rod 16, a modified form of actuating bar T! is provided. Bar Il has a relatively thin central portion which is confined within a channel 79 extended along wall I3. Extended through bar is a small bore 'i8 which journals rod 76 in a tight slidable fit. As bar 11 moves along the arcuate surface of rod '|6, the latter is forced to rotate through a partial turn. When bar 'H retracts to its initial position, the rod 'I6 is rotated back so as to complete an oscillating motion. As can be appreciated, the oscillation of rod '|6 has the desired agitating eiect upon the tablets within hopper I8 and turns them until they are positioned to slide edgewise under the rod and enter discharge chute 3|. `Thus it provides the same general function as the other Jform of agitator means.

.As can be best seen in Fig. 3, the shape of hopper I8 and discharge chute 3| creates an enlarged space 8 within housing l0 on the opposite side of walls I9 and 32. The space 80 may be conveniently used as additional storage space for tablets, and to this end I provide an access door 8| which forms a portion of end wall I3, as is seen in Fig. 2. Door 8| is typically mounted upon a hinge 82 and carries an end detent 83 which frictionally engages bottom wall I5 so as to normally remain closed.

While I have thus shown and described a preferred form of the invention together with contemplated modifications, it can be understood that various other changes of design and construction will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the foregoing details of description, except as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall dening with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute formed by lower wall portions; an agitat'ing rod mounted in said housing to extend transversely across said hopper throat parallel to said bottom wall and spaced therefrom to permit the entry of a single line of tablets into said chute, said rod having a generally sinusoidal shape and being movable for agitating said tablets and insuring the proper flow into said chute; ejection means mounted in said chute and movable in a reciprocating motion to eject one of said tablets from said housing upon each cycle of operation; and manual actuating means connected `to said agitating means and said ejection means for effecting simultaneous operation thereof.

2. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing formed with an upper hopper and a substantially vertical lower ejection chute converging downward to an exit opening; a flexible spring plate extending partially across said ejection chute adjacent said exit opening and normally disposed to block the passage of a tablet into said opening; an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plate, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and being adapted to move a tablet against said plate to displace the latter out of the path of ance-,34e

7y said tablet wherebyI saidV tablet passes into said` e-xit. opening; andan exit gate'- having an aperture therein slidably mounted said housing, and connected to said ejection arm for movement. therewith, said gate normally closing` said exit. opening andmoving' with said ejection arm to register said aperture with said opening during the stroke of said arm.

3. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall defining with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute formed by lower wall portions; an agitating rod mounted in said housing to extend transversely across said hopperA throat parallel to saidbottom Wall and spaced therefrom to permit the entry'of a single line of tablets into said chute, said rod having a generally sinusoidal shape and being movable for agitating said tablets and. insuring the proper s flow into said chute; a flexible plate extending partially across said ejection chute adjacent said exit opening and normally disposed to block the passage of a tablet into said opening; an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for -l reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plate, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and being adapted to move a tablet against said plate to displace the latter out of the path of said tablet whereby said tablet passes into said exit opening; and an exit gate having an aperture therein slidably mounted in said housing and connected to said ejection arm for movement therewith, saidgate normally closing said exit opening and moving with said ejection arm to register said aperture with said opening during the stroke of said arm.

4, A tablet dispenserv comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall defining with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute having an inclined ramp extending partially thereacross and an exit opening in the opposite lower corner; a first flexible plate having a free endl forming an extension of said ramp; a second ilexible plate havingV a free end depending from the opposite edge of said chute adjacent said exit opening and normally disposed to blocl: the passage oi a tablet into said opening, the tip of said first. plate being spaced from said second plate a distance suflicient to permit the passage of a tablet therebetween; and an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plates, said arm being mounted below said iirst plate and having an upper cam portion adapted to spring said first plate upwardly upon inward movement, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said second plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and forming with said housing an ejection pocket for containing a single tablet, whereby inward movement of said arm moves said tablet against said second plate to displace the latter outV or the path of said tablet and at the same time releases said tablet into said exit opening to permit another tablet to drop into said ejection pocket.

5. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall defining with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute having an inclined ramp extending partially thereacross and an exit opening in the opposite lower corner; an agitating rod mounted in said housing to extend transversely across said hopper throat parallel to said bottom wall and spaced therefrom tov permit the entry of a single line of tablets into said chute, said rod having a generally sinusoidal shape and being movable for agitating said tablets and insuring the proper flow into said chute; a nrst flexible plate having a free end forming an. extension of said ramp; a second flexible plate having a free end depending from the opposite edge of said chute adjacent said exit opening. and nor- Y mally disposed to block the passage of a tablet into said opening; and an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plates, said arm being mounted below said first plate and having an upper cam portion adapted to spring said first plate upwardly upon inward movement, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said second plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and forming with said housing an ejection pocket for containing a single tablet, whereby inward movement of said arm moves said tablet against said second plate to displace the latter out of the path of said tablet and at the same time releases said tablet into said exit opening to permit another tablet to drop into said ejection pocket.

6. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall defining with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute having an inclined ramp extending partially thereacross and an exit opening in the opposite lower corner; an agitating rod mounted in said housing to extend transversely across said' hopper throat parallel to said bottom wall and spaced therefrom to permit the entry of a single line of tablets into said chute, said rod having a generally sinusoidal shape and being movable with a reciprocating motion for agitating said tablets and insuring the proper flow into said chute; a rst flexible plate having a free end forming an extension of said ramp; a. second flexible plate having a free end depending from the opposite edge oi said chute adjacent said exit opening and normally disposed to block the passage of a tablet into said opening; an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plates, said arm being mounted below said first plate and having an upper cam portion adapted to spring said rst plate upwardly upon inward movement, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said second plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and forming with said housing an ejection pocket for containing a single tablet, whereby inward movement of said arm moves said tablet against said second plate to displace the latter out of the path of said tablet and at the same time releases said tablet into said exit opening to permit another tablet to drop into said ejection pocket; and an exit gate having an aperture therein slidably mounted in said housing and connected to said ejection arm for movement therewith, said gate normally closing said exit opening and moving with said ejection arm to register said aperture with said opening during the stroke of said arm.

7. A tablet dispenser comprising: a housing having an upper hopper with a sloping bottom wall dening with the opposite wall a constricted discharge throat communicating into a substantially vertical ejection chute having an inclined ramp extending partially thereacross and an exit opening in the opposite lower corner; an agitating rod mounted in said housing to extend transversely across said hopper throat parallel to said bottom wall and spaced therefrom to permit the entry of a single line of tablets into said chute, said rod having a generally sinusoidal shape and being movable with an oscillating motion for agitating said tablets and insuring the proper flow into said chute; a rst flexible plate having a free end forming an extension of said ramp; a second flexible plate having a free end depending from the opposite edge of said chute adjacent said exit opening and normally disposed to block the passage of a tablet into said opening, the tip of said rst plate being spaced from said second plate a distance suflicient to permit the passage of a tablet therebetween; an ejection arm slidably mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement and extending into said ejection chute for cooperation with said plates, said arm being mounted below said first plate and having an upper cam portion adapted to spring said first plate 10 upwardly upon inward movement, the inner end of said arm being normally spaced from said second plate a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a tablet and forming with said housing an ejection pocket for containing a single tablet, whereby inward movement of said arm moves said tablet against said second plate to displace the latter out of the path of said tablet and at the same time releases said tablet into said exit opening to permit another tablet to drop into said ejection pocket; and an exit gate having an aperture therein slidably mounted in said housing and connected to said ejection arm for movement therewith, said gate normally closing said exit opening and moving with said ejection arm to register said aperture with said opening during the stroke of said arm.

EDWARD C. SILVER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 126,692 Gove May 14, 1872 765,533 Acker July 19, 1904 969,330 Bloch Sept. 6, 1910 1,396,720 Mouawad Nov. 8, 1921 1,801,165 Macke Apr. 14, 1931 1,852,392 Axelson Apr. 5, 1932 

